Paleontologist Zulma Gasparini, a professor at Argentina's Universidad Nacional de La Plata, examines the skull of the newly discovered species of ancient marine reptile. Gasparini and colleague Luis Spalletti recently unearthed the skull and other fossils in Patagonia.

The scientists, along with Ohio State University researcher Diego Pol, describe their find in the November 11, 2005, issue of the journal Science and the December 2005 issue of National Geographic magazine.